DERRICK MORGAN will join the lengendary Skatalites, Lord Creator, the Clarendonians, Owen Gray and Eric 'Monty' Morris for the second set of shows in the millennium series Heineken Startime on Saturday, July 29 and Monday, July 31.
Billed 'Skamania', the first show is set for Mas Camp Village, New Kingston and the other for the Hotel Versalles, May Pen.
MKB and Desnoes and Geddes will also be taking time out to honour one of the true pioneers of ska the legendary Prince Buster - certainly one of the pillars on which the foundation of Jamaican music is built.
Derrick Morgan's career has spanned over 43 years, not just as a singer, but also as a songwriter, producer and A&R person for various major local labels. It was Morgan who auditioned the late Bob Marley (before the Wailers) in 1961 and recorded his first two songs Judge Not and One Cup of Coffee. He also auditioned other soon-to-become famous names like Desmond Dekker, Toots Hibbert and Jimmy Cliff; and helped Cliff to write and record his first set of songs for Leslie Kong's Beverly's Label Dearest Beverly, Miss Jamaica and Hurricane Hattie.
Morgan left Jamaica soon after to fulfil a recording contract with London's Mello Disc Records, a company which began releasing Jamaican ska on its Blue Beat Label. He returned to Jamaica in time for the country's first Independence celebration in 1962, for which he wrote Forward March and the song shot to No.1 on the record charts. Soon Morgan had an unprecedented seven records on the top ten hit parade, all at the same time a feat which is still unmatched up to today.
He has recorded more than 100 songs and some of the more memorable include Be Still (I'm Your Superior), Blazing Fire, Miss Lulu, The Hop, Don't Call Me Daddy, Cornerstone, Shake A Leg and House Wife's Choice.
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